‘Mechanics of Machines Page 213 VEHICLE DYNAMICS In the topic of vehicle dynamics of this course, there are two types of focus areas: (tractive effort (t.), where wheel slip is not a factor, and (i) tractive effort (1,) considered to the point of tyre-slip Im most cases, the engine drives the vehicle through a reduction gearbox with gear-ratio (n) and efficiency (n). ‘The inertia torque of the fast rotating components (e.g, the engine Teds) and the slower rotating components (e.g, the wheels Iway) need to be considered together with the inertia of translation (ma). The theory of ‘Equivalent Inertia’ (eg 1, = 1, + 90°/, is used regularly but only occasionally the theory of ‘equivalent mass’. The inertia forces and weight are considered to pass through the centre of gravity. The frictional forces, if they are wind resistance, are considered through the centre of the projected area. It is easier to solve these type of problems if a good free body diagram is drawn: mg - ‘True free body diagram Easier to reduce all force components parallel and perpendicular to the plane of motion The general equations of statics are made use of: @ DA=0 a Gi) YF =0 @) (ii) YM=o @)Mechanics of Machines Page 214 Other equations applicable to the rotating forces are: (iv) Driving torque available at the wheels: iy = 19 (Ty = 1502) ~ Ty y (v) Alternatively: Ty = nT g ~ Ip = nT g ~ (Uy +n°ql gay (vi) Tractive effort: Ty = 1x7 When slip is a factor, the equations for the maximum tractive effort are considered at the point of slip. Once slip has started the adhesive forces between the tyres and the road surface drop away drastically and are not constant. The following considerations therefore need to be taken: (L) The vehicle is driven/braked by the front wheels only. then: ty = uxRy & t.=0 (4a) (IL) The vehicle is driven/braked by the rear wheels only. then ty =0 & fy = HER, (4b) (UL) The vehicle is driven/braked by all four wheels and: (a) equal torque is applied: @ Te rpr, then: (4c) Gi) IE RR, then: (4a) (b) the torque is fully effective: by = U®R, & (4e) In solving problems of this type, the equations of statics (1), (2) and (3) are always made use of, as well as either one of the tractive effort equations; either equation (4a), (4b), (4c), (Ad) or (4e). When equal torque is applied to all wheels, a mathematical decision needs to be made first, deciding whether: ,)R, or R,)a,; again the equations of statics are used to do this.‘Mechanics of Machines Page 215 Example An off-road vehicle, of total mass 2.4 T, has an engine that develops 95 kW at 3000 r/min, ‘The wheels have a diameter of 400 mm, a radius of gyration 150 mm and mass 25 kg. The engine has a radius of gyration 95 mm and mass 11kg. Assume a constant resistance to motion of SOON. At the indicated engine speed, determine the required gear ratio and vehicle speed when the vehicle travels up a hill of inclination 25° and with an acceleration. of 0.7 mis*. Solution: Gear ratio: Ty =0T 5 (ly +n? Ip ay Ty = nx 302 ~ (4 25 x 0.015? + n? x11 x 0.095?) x3.5 Ty = 0.347 n? + 302 n= 7.875 1, = mgsinO +ma +F, 1, = 2400 9.81 sin @ +2400 x0.7 +500 4, =12130.N xr ~0.347n? +302 —7.875 = 12130%0.2 0.347n? ~302n+2434=0 =8.1 Vehicle speed: Eo ey =3000 x «8.12 38.6 rad 5 a, Y=Or =38.6x0.2=7.7 m/s @B8kmih)‘Mechanics of Machines Page 216 A loaded delivery vehicle of total mass 2.9 T travels down a slope of 30°, Its six wheels have a diameter of 380 mm, a radius of gyration 140 mm and mass of 12.5 kg each. The engine develops 105 kW at 3500 r/min and its radius of gyration 95 mm and mass 16kg, ‘The gearbox ratio is 9:1 and its efficiency is 88% and that of the differential is 2.5+1 at an efficiency of 93%. Determine (the tractive effort, and Gi) the maximum acceleration possible (assuming there will be no wheel slip). HINT: the total gear ratio is: Niotat = Necarbox x Nattirenia] , and likewise the total efficiency is: fou arbox X Tlifferential. oe Ng 92S = 2S Nes * Tg = 88% X93% = 81.8% Ty +90 Tg 6(12.5 x 0.147) + 22.5 x 0.8187(16 x 0.0952) = 61.27 (kg -m?) nny -Tpaty Ty = 22.5% 0.818 x 286.5 ~61.27 x —* x0.38 $273 -322.5a mg sin +ma 2900 x9.81xsin 30° + 2900 a = 14225 +2900 a 14225 +2900 a = $273~322.5a=~14225 +2900a 05 m/s? = 3321 14225 +2900 (6.05)Mechanics of Machines Page 217 Example II: A rear-wheel drive vehicle has a 2.6m wheelbase. Its centre of gravity is 650mm above ground level and 700 mm in from the rear axle. Ifthe coefficient adhesion” % between tyre and road is 0.7, find the maximum acceleration rate possible, without wheel slip, when the vehicle is travelling: @ up a gradient of 1 in 20, (ii) on a level road, and Gii) down an incline of 1 in 15? Solu The equations used are: LA= Le LM eg 208 O.7Ry = 0.651, +1.9Rp For rear wheel drive: Ry Ry + Rp =mg.cos8 1, =ma+mg sin 0 Using the method of simultaneous solving: @)——_upagradient of 1 in 20: Ry =1.lim Ry =8.68m (i) ona level road: Ry =1.1am By =8.69 m (iii) down an incline of 1 in 15: Ry=1.12m Ry 867m (Note that there are 5 unknown quantities: m,Rr, Re, teanda but only 4 equations. In problems of this type, the mass will cancel out, implying that the maximum possible acceleration/braking rate is independent of the mass!?)Mechanics of Machines Page 218 Example IV: The wheelbase of a car is 3.3 m, and the center of mass is 1.2 m in front of the rear axle and 0.75 m above the ground level. ‘The coefficient of adhesion between the wheels and the toad is 0.65. Determine the maximum braking rate, which the car can achieve down a decline of 25°, The car applies the same braking torque on the front and rear wheels. Solution: Xe, Ry +Rp = mg.cosd DXF. =0: ag tty = ma + mg sin 8 LM eg = 0% 12Ry + 0.78 (ty +1) = 21Ry Tf ar. then: tly = UR, and substituting this into the above equations: @=1,53 m/s? Tf Rr yR,2 then: tig =2peR, and substituting this into the equations of statics: 251,82 m/s? The lesser value is the limiting value and hence: ,)R, and the highest braking rate is: 153 mis?Mechanics of Machines Page 219 A motor vehicle’s wheelbase is 3.2 m long, with the centre of gravity 1.2 m in front of the rear axle and 0.7 m above the ground level. The coefficient of adhesion y between the tyres and road is 0.7. Determine the maximum braking rate when the vehicle travels down a slope of 20° when; @ The braking torque is the same on the front and rear wheels, (i) ABS brakes are used on all wheels. Solution: LF, LF Lime Ry + Rp = mg cosd (ig +t.) = ma + mg sin 8 OT x (bg +ty) 1.2% mg 608 0 = 3.2 Ry (For equal braking torque Tf orpai then: and substituting this into the above equations: a= 2.058 m/s? Tf ror, then: (ig +e) =2ux Ry and substituting this into the equations of statics: @ = 3,625 m/s? This value is not limiting, hence: = 2.058 mis? (ii) For fully effective brakes (commercially known as ABS brakes): ty auxk, & tg =peR, OF ty te = ual, +R.) and substituting it into the equations of statics: = 3.098 m/s?EXERCISE 1 2 3. ‘Mechanics of Machines Page 220 = ‘VEHICLE DYNAMIC PROBLEMS Answer the following comments with TRUE or FALSE only * The friction force between a block of wood and a steel surface is independent of the area of contact. * The friction force between the wheels of a locomotive steam engine and the track is independent of the area of contact. * The friction force between a car tyre and the tar road is independent of the area of contact. ‘A motor vehicle has a mass of | Mg and the moments of inertia of the road wheels and rear axle are together 8.4 kgm?, ‘The effective diameter of the road wheels is 620 mm. Find the acceleration on the level at an instant when the engine output torques 100 Nm and the overall Speed reduction ratio is 14. Take the air and road resistance as 200 N at this speed, and the transmission efficiency as 88 per cent. B47 mis) ‘A motor car, of total mass 1400 kg, running in top gear at $5 km/h, passes on to arising gradient of 1 in 20 at that speed. The road and other resistances may be taken as constant at 270 N/T. With conditions unchanged, the speed falls uniformly to 40 kaw/h in 1 distance of 360m. An intermediate gear is then engaged for which the speed ratio between the engine and the road wheels is 9: 1 and the transmission efficiency is 85 percent. The engine is then developing a torque of 85 Nm. Determine: (@) The tractive efforts before and after the gear change, given that the road wheels are 750 mm in diameter, (©) The time between the start of retardation and the recovery ofthe original speed of 35 kiw/h, and (©The powers being developed by the engine when the car is retarding and secelerating through 50 km/h, given that the transmission efficiency in top gear is 94 per cent. (851 N, 1.735 KN; 36 8; 12.56 kW; 28,35 kW) A car has @ mass of 800 kg, the moment of inertia of the wheels is 6.7 kgm? and that of the engine parts is 0.2 kgm*. The effective diameter of the road wheels is 620 mm and the ‘maximum engine torque is 65 Nm at an engine speed of 2000 r/min. If the resistance to motion in N is given by R= 135 +0.09s?, where v isthe speed in knu/b, find the road speed and the acceleration of the car when the gear ratio is 13.5 to 1 and the engine is developingMechanics of Machines Page 221 5. 2 full torque at 2000 r/min. The efficiency of the transmission is 88%. (17.3 keh; 1.935 mis?) ‘A motor vehicle has a total mass of 1.5 T, a wheelbase length of 3 m, and a track width of 15 m. The centre of mass is 1.7 m behind the front axle and 0.65 m above road level. Determine: () The time to rest from 48 kmw/h if there are brakes on all four wheels and these ae fully «effective on a level road for which the limiting coefficient of friction is 0.35, (©) The normal road reactions on the front and rear wheel pairs when accelerating on @ level track at 1.2 m/s’, and (©) The normal road reactions on the inner and outer wheel pairs when travelling at @ steady speed of 12 mvs on a roadway curved to a radius of 60 m and banked at 10° (3.88 5; 6KN; 8.73 EN; 7.131 kN; 7.987 kN) A motor vehicle has a wheelbase of 2.4 m. When standing on a level road its centre of mass is 0.9 m behind the front axle and 0.45 m above the road surface. ‘The coefficient of friction between the tyres and the road is 0.4. The vehicle may be driven: (@) _ by the front wheels, (b) by the rear wheels, or (©) _ by all four wheels (where the drive is arranged so that the torque transmitted to the front axle is the same as that transmitted to the rear axle), or (© __byall four wheels (where the drive is arranged so that the torque transmitted to the front axle and to the rear axle is fully effective). Determine, for each of these forms of drive, the maximum gradient that may be climbed at a uniform speed, without wheel spin, (aresin 0,227; aresin 0.16; arcsin 0,333) The wheelbase of a car is 3.3 m, and the centre of mass is 1.2 m in front of the rear axle and 0.75 m above the ground level. The coefficient of friction between the wheels and the road is 0.45. Find the maximum acceleration which the car can be given on a level road if it has a rear-wheel drive. Find its maximum deceleration if the braking force on all the wheels is the same and no whee! slip occurs. (Answer: 3.13m/s*; 4.037m/s?)